Breeding Success

Look out below!

Our first (and perhaps only) chick hatched yesterday...

And the other fertilized eggs, well, disappeared.

Yes, disappeared~ without a trace!

They were dated and had a sharpie "X" on each shell (there were 9 or 10).

They had been delivered/donated by our friends to our broody chicken so we could hatch a batch of chicks.  We couldn't get near the nest when the chicken was broody, for fear of her sharp beak.

Every once in a while another hen would force her way into the nest box (in fact the hen who was on the nest when the egg hatched was not the original broody, but took over the nest box by force at some point).

When she was off the nest to protect the newly hatched chick, we were concerned about the remaining eggs and worried that they may not hatch after being left cold for a while.

We decided to 'candle' the eggs to detect movement/life.  (Use a flashlight our friends, Kara & Rod, taught us~ candles aren't really used for candling eggs anymore!  Who knew?  No wonder our previous attempt at candling yielded no successful results!)

As we collected a few eggs for the gestation investigation, we noticed something odd.

The pile of eggs in her nest (still about 9 or 10) were not marked.  No "X's."

Only one marked egg remained. 

The others were just our ordinary non-fertile eggs that we would normally collect each day from our coop.

So???

What happened to the fertile eggs we thought were so well protected under our hen?

This is quite a mystery!

We think maybe a creature found its way into the coop (it's not exactly vermin proof) and selectively took the fertile eggs.  

At least now we know why there haven't been many eggs to collect lately!  They've been hidden under a very protective hen.

Hmmm.

Guess we need to find a better way to protect our young!

Flashback Friday

Joseph with Charlie at Fort Worden State Park, June '08.

Lotsa love...

These 2 are quite a pair!

Charlie was an impulse "rescue" dog, a pure bred black Labrador.

I saw a poster for a "free puppy" while were en route to BSA Camp Parsons in 2007.

Joseph was very surprised to be given his own dog (at that time our only dog was Zac's Scooby).

Charlie was (and is) a very energetic and lively pet.

He's loyal, loving, and responds well to most training.

Joseph loves Charlie, despite his sometimes rather unpleasant dog habits.

I'll mention one fit for publishing:

When certain friends dog-sit for us, and let him out...

Charlie takes off running away from the house 

(which he almost never does when we are home), 

jumping out of the fenced back yard and running loose in the creek and surrounding neighborhood.

Joseph's goal is to train Charlie to go bird hunting, 

and works with Charlie using a rubber duck designed for that purpose.

Maybe this fall???

We'll see!

Potluck #2

Peter's Webelos Den collecting awards.

Tim launches into leading Scout songs!

The pack gets into the act!

Who knew 2 potlucks in one day could be so much fun?

We did!

Sunday Traditions

Every year, our parish outdoor Mass and parish picnic falls on the same day 

as the Cub Scout kick-off pack meeting.

Which means that we spend all day hanging out with our favorite people.

First Stop:  Outdoor Celebration of the Holy Mass.

The highlight of our day was sharing the Holy Eucharist, as Christ commanded us: 

Before he was given up to death, a death he freely accepted, he took bread and gave you thanks, He broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said: 

Take this, all of you, and eat it; this is my body which will be given up for you.

When the supper was ended, he took the cup. Again he gave you thanks and praise, gave the cup to his disciples, and said: 
Take this, all of you, and drink from it; this is the cup of my blood, the blood of the new and everlasting covenant. It will be shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven. 

Do this in memory of me. 

Zac-olyte (acolyte Zac)

Cross bearer, Joseph

Candle bearer, Peter

Time for food!

Peter sits with Phillip for food & fellowship before the games.

Joseph A. and Joseph S. at table together.

Joseph, Jonah, and Peter anchor their team on the tug-o-war.

They were defeated, but gave a valiant attempt.

3-legged champions!

Handyman

Did I mention we love Scouts?

Peter was so excited to help Tim change a light on his car to complete a requirement for Handyman.

Unfortunately, the bull rack had to be removed in order to have access to the side light...

So the little project became a bigger project.

But there they are, working together on a meaningful job~ teaching, learning, sharing time.

Scouts really is the second "core" of our home school...

First and most important element or our home school and indeed of our lives, 

is our active Christian faith & the daily practice of our Catholic religion.

What does love look like? 

It has the hands to help others. 

It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. 

It has eyes to see misery and want. 

It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. 

That is what love looks like. 
~Saint Augustine of Hippo 

(memorial today)

Pray for us!

Nerf Warz

Nerf Warz @ our place...

Bring your guns and your ammo...

Eye pro is suggested, but optional...

Let the battle begin!

Defend the territory!

Reload.

RETREAT!

In Peter's Words

Yesterday, Ezra, Joe, Phillip, Judah (photographer) and I went mountain biking on Galbraith, which is about 1/8 mile from our house.  We stopped to take a picture here (above) and have a little blackberry break.  Then we went up a little hill and then went on Karma (trail).  It has lots of jumps!

Then we went down the pipeline and then we stopped and had more blackberries.

Then we went back up the pipeline.  Then Joe & Ezra came down and I was behind Joe.

Ezra went first and Judah was behind me, Phillip behind Judah.

When I was about 30 feet away from the end of the trail (see photo above), I think I hit a rock.

Then I think I bounced into the air and then my arms flew off the handlebars.

My chin hit the handlebars, and my chin & jaw were instantly numb.

My bike flew up and went down on its side.

My shoulder hit a rock and I rolled into the grass, tangled in my bike.

Judah skidded to a stop, fishtailing.

Joe was around the corner.  When he heard me yell, he came back.

He said he knew that I fell hard, but when he came around the corner, he was like, 

"Peter, are you...WHOA! That's deep!"

He came running up and said, "You're gonna need at least 5 stitches!"

(Joseph and Judah said they could have taken my chain off because it was hanging off the pedal.)

Judah and Ezra biked home and got Dad and Zac.  They came up to the trail head in the car.

Zac said afterwards, that when he saw me he felt his stomach turn over and then remembered to help.

Dad said the same.

They drove me home and laid me on the couch and asked me if I had blacked out.

Then Mom called the doctor's office and asked if I could see my doctor.  (The after hours clinic had no openings, and told us to go to the ER.  We opted for a local urgent care clinic instead.)

They tested by blood pressure to make sure it was ok.

At the clinic, they laid me on the exam table and cleaned out the cut.

They put some stuff to make it go numb so I wouldn't feel anything.

The doctor said that the stuff they put in would only stay for a little while.

They got a needle that had some stuff that would make it go numb for longer.

Then they put stitches inside of the cut that would dissolve (2), and they put 7 more stitches outside the cut.  They put a huge band aid over the stitches and sent me home.

When she put the stitches in, she said to the nurse, "Ok, we're repairing Humpty Dumpty."

Then we came home.

I arrived home to a soft taco dinner with Louis, Father Straz, Chris, Cathy, Zac and Mom.

The other guys went to Boy Scouts.

My shirt was used to stop the bleeding.

My shirt was stained from the blood gushing from my chin, 

and the purple is from a blackberry fight with Ezra.